


Lucky Duck

by MobMode



Series: A Father, a Daughter, and a Launchpad [2]
Category: Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 2018), DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Adopted Children, Adoption, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff, Lots of crying lol, M/M, Time Skips
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 12:24:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20192239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MobMode/pseuds/MobMode
Summary: "Drake had heard horror stories about adoption and the constant limbo some families could be in, waiting months or even years to finally sign those papers making your child yours, but he was willing to go through it all if it meant Gosalyn would be his daughter at the end of it all."





	Lucky Duck

**Author's Note:**

> I woke up super early and wrote this fic in like 2 hours aslkcmsld so please excuse any mistakes! A lot of this was inspired by the Drakepad Discord, love you guys!!!
> 
> Hope you enjoy, comments and kudos much appreciated!

Drake had heard horror stories about adoption and the constant limbo some families could be in, waiting months or even years to finally sign those papers making your child _ yours _, but he was willing to go through it all if it meant Gosalyn would be his daughter at the end of it all. He knew it was hard work and that there was a lot to be done before Gosalyn could come home, but it was frustrating when he felt like he was doing everything right and still had to go through more interviews or home evaluations, or take a few more classes, get one more certification. 

The amount of paperwork alone made him want to tear his feathers out with all the forms he had to fill out, often passing out at the kitchen table surrounded by papers after a long night of Darkwing Duck patrol.

He would never be able to thank Launchpad enough for all he did for him during this time. His warm presence was always right by his side, taking all the classes with him, sitting through boring interviews, cleaning up the apartment before evaluations, always with a big smile on his face. 

He wonders how he can do it all without breaking down like he does, but then he sees his face when they go on their weekly visits to see Gosalyn and understands immediately. Drake will always wonder what he did to deserve Launchpad by his side, but to see he loves that spirited little girl just as much as he does makes him think he just might be the luckiest duck on Earth.

When they’re given the okay to have overnight visits with Gosalyn they celebrate by crying into each other’s arms since they know they’re just the littlest bit closer to adoption. Friday’s after school and Saturday mornings become the best moments of the week, and Drake feels like he could fly.

“What do you mean we need a house?” 

Gosalyn’s case worker has the decency to look just as upset as he feels, sighing as she shakes her head. 

“You know how these things go, Drake. I know it’s frustrating but the Agency has these rules for a reason.” she explains, taking a sip of her coffee.

“But it’s just- she’s been having her visits here for almost a month now and there’s never been a problem! Now we can’t go to court for permanent placement until we have a _ house _?” Drake huffs, crossing his arms. Launchpad rubs his back from his seat next to him, his usual smile gone for once.

“I’m sorry, Drake. Truly, I am, it’s just how things are.” she says, reaching across the coffee table to pat his knee. 

“In better news, there was talks of extending your overnights to weekend visits.” she smiles, and Drake feels only marginally better.

Launchpad shows her out when she says she’d better get going, while Drake sits on the couch with his head in his hands. Only when he feels those strong arms wrap around him does he allow the tears to fall freely, unable to stop the sobs shaking his form.

“I know, baby… I know,” Launchpad soothes, holding him close. 

“I barely had enough for the down payment on _ this _ place! And-And now we need to buy a _ house _?!” he cries, clutching onto Launchpad’s shirt, soaking it with his tears.

“Shh, it’s alright. We’ll figure it out…” Launchpad promises with a kiss to his forehead. 

“I just want to take her home…” Drake whimpers, and Launchpad’s heart breaks.

They do end up with weekend visits, and Drake is so happy he almost forgets to be stressed out about the house search, spending every free moment he has looking for the best house and figuring out the budget he needs to keep to get it. In between stressful feather pulling days, Launchpad takes them out for drives, Drake holding his arm where it rests on the center console. 

He points out houses to them whenever they happen to drive through neighborhoods, “Oh, I like the brick on that place- Whoa! that place has a treehouse- Look at that house’s backyard, nice huh, Gos?” 

Drake thinks he knows what he’s doing and loves him endlessly for it.

After another month of stress and car rides, Launchpad surprises him with a nice home cooked dinner, holding his hand over the table and smiling at him so fondly he feels tipsier than he should after only drinking one glass of wine.

“Drake I uh- I wanted to ask you something…” Launchpad stammers, looking nervous, and Drake suddenly feels very sober, wondering if this is what he thinks it is. He’s only slightly disappointed when Launchpad doesn’t pull out a little velvet box from his jacket pocket and instead passes over a piece of paper. 

He’s a little confused as he takes in the listing for a house he and Launchpad had been looking at.

“The house with the huge backyard near the hockey rink? What about it, sweetheart?” Drake asks, blushing at the lovestruck look his partner gives him at the pet name. 

“Do you like it?” Launchpad asks, squeezing his hand.

“I love it! And I really think Gosalyn would, too. Why?” he raises a brow. 

“How would you feel if I told you Scrooge offered to pay the down payment?” 

Drake nearly chokes in the middle of sipping his wine, Launchpad rushing over with a clatter to pat him on the back.

“He WHAT?!” Drake manages to cough out, eyes wide. Launchpad gives him a huge smile from where he kneels before him, only nodding at the incredulous look Drake is giving him. 

Drake surges forward to wrap his arms around Launchpad’s neck, joining their beaks in a wet kiss as tears are now streaming down both of their faces. Launchpad squeezes him tight as he spins him around, deepening the kiss and making Drake melt. 

He pulls away with a big watery smile, “He just wants us to pay off the rest of the mortgage but baby- baby, I did the math and we can do it!” Drake’s chest aches with hope and he nearly screams in excitement, opting for pulling Launchpad back in for another kiss instead.

The next few weeks of filling out mortgage paperwork and moving in are a bit hectic and Drake must have thanked Scrooge a million times by now, but Drake’s heart feels so full he could thank him a million times more for what he’s done for his family.

When they show Gosalyn the new house, _ their _new house, completely taking her by surprise, she starts crying, it’s the first time she’s ever done so and Drake feels completely ill prepared until Launchpad just pulls them all into a tight hug, and he knows everything is going to be alright, wondering how he ever could have done this by himself.

On the day of the court hearing Drake is a nervous wreck, fiddling with his bow tie, tapping his feet, and sitting on his hands when the constant moving becomes too much even for him. The whole drive over Launchpad has the biggest, happiest, grin on his face and all he has to do is look over at him (and how handsome he looks in his formal outfit) to make his heart settle. 

As soon as they step out of the car, his partner takes his hand, both doing their best to crush each other’s hand with their nervous grips.

Waiting outside the courtroom for them is their huge family, and Drake does his best to not get overwhelmed but everyone else must sense his anxiety because they thankfully avoid talking to him and try not to crowd him. 

Gosalyn is waiting there for them with Mrs. Cavanaugh, and Drake almost starts crying the second he sees her. Launchpad isn’t doing much better, swooping down to grab her with his free arm to kiss all over her face, tears beginning to leak from his eyes.

“Launchpad! Come on, keep it together!” Gosalyn chides, looking embarrassed but Drake doesn’t miss the way she wipes at her eyes. 

“Sorry, Sorry, sweetie… ‘m just so excited…” Launchpad sniffles, setting her down and patting her head before wiping at his own eyes. Gosalyn takes one look at her soon to be official dad and how nervous he looks before launching forward to hug him around the legs. Before Drake can say anything to her, the courtroom doors open and it’s time for their case to be seen.

He wishes Launchpad could be there next to him as he and Gosalyn sit before the judge, but he wasn’t technically adopting her too, as it would have been much harder (and more expensive) to try and adopt her as an unmarried couple. They talked about it and while Launchpad was a bit upset that he would have to wait to officially be Gosalyn’s father, he knew how important it was to Drake to get her out of that orphanage and in their home.

He’s pulled out of his thoughts as the proceedings begin, only half listening to Gosalyn’s case worker speak highly of him and Launchpad and all they’ve done for his little girl. The judge listens then turns to him, and he gulps, calming slightly when Gosalyn grabs his hand under the table.

“It seems to me like you’ve done everything possible right, and from reading over your case file I’m confident that you are fully capable of taking care of this wonderful girl.” the judge says, giving him a little smile from her seat above them. “Is there anything you’d like to say before I sign off on these papers?” she asks.

Drake leans forward to the little mic in front of him, clearing his throat, “I just can’t wait for Gosalyn to be my daughter. From the moment I met her, I knew she was special, and she’s only proven me right since. It would make me so incredibly happy to have the privilege of being her father.” he says, somehow managing not to stutter, looking over at Gosalyn and smiling brightly at her as tears spill down her cheeks.

The judge smiles again before collecting the papers in front of her and grabbing her pen.

“Then I won’t make you wait any longer.”

Drake waits until they’re outside the courtroom to jump up into Launchpad’s arms, both crying as their beaks meet in a chaste kiss, their family cheering around them. “What no kiss for me?” Gosalyn teases, and before she can run away from the coming hug, Launchpad scoops her up so he’s holding the both of them up in his arms, peppering the both of their faces with wet kisses.

When they finally make it home after a big party at Scrooge’s house, Launchpad has to carry Gosalyn in, passed out from the day’s excitement. Drake watches him tuck her in and kiss her forehead, his heart doing funny little flips at the domesticity of it all. 

Launchpad runs into Drake in the hallway as he gently closes the door behind him, that smile still stuck on his face. As he leans down, Drake meets him halfway with a slow kiss, sighing happily once they pull away.

“I love you, so much. You know that right?” Drake hums, cupping Launchpad’s cheek. 

“I couldn’t have done all of this without you, and Gosalyn loves you so much it only hurts a little bit to be her second favorite parent.” he chuckles, finding himself crying once again, overwhelmed with all the emotions of the day.

Launchpad wipes his tears away with a thumb, just staring at him for a moment before he’s suddenly down on one knee before him, and Drake’s stomach drops to his toes as he reaches into his jacket.

“You’re the most important person in the world to me, and it’s been killing me to wait until after the adoption to do this, but I knew how important it was to you and didn’t want to distract you. I was hoping I could wait a little longer, spoil you with a nice dinner, but I can’t wait anymore. Drake… will you marry me?” Launchpad _ finally _asks, opening the box in his hands to reveal a beautiful engagement ring.

Drake is nodding before he can get his beak to work properly, sure that he doesn’t look as nice as he would have liked for this moment, sobbing out a single ‘Yes!’ before collapsing into Launchpad’s arms.

Drake wakes up the following morning as Gosalyn clambers into bed with them sleepily, curling up into his chest while Launchpad pulls him closer from behind, his hand tracing over the new ring adorning his left hand, and he knows he really is the luckiest duck in the world.


End file.
